Judge Backs Forcing Neighbor Out After Threats, Complaints

A Haverhill man accused of shooting a neighbor`s dog and pointing the shotgun at the dog`s owner probably should be forced to move out of the neighborhood, a Palm Beach County judge said Friday.

Circuit Judge Marvin Mounts refused to approve a plea bargain whereby Leroy Troyer, 44, would be allowed to return to his Woodland Avenue home on probation after about 21 months in jail.

Several neighbors have written to Mounts about Troyer`s odd, often threatening behavior.

One wrote that Troyer had been seen crouching atop his house in a jungle camouflage uniform with a blackened face, or prowling about the neighborhood dressed in black. Others accused him of spreading roofing nails on their driveways and verbally abusing their children.

The wife of the man Troyer allegedly threatened begged Mounts to ``use every legal device necessary to either commit Mr. Troyer to an institution or, at the very least, keep him in jail until (the case against him) goes to trial.``

Differences with neighbors appear so great, Mounts said, that everyone would be better off if Troyer moved.

``The best thing you can do is sell that thing and relocate,`` Mounts told him.

Troyer was arrested in February after allegedly threatening to shoot his next-door neighbor, Edward Pierce.

According to court documents, Pierce had gone outside when he heard his Doberman pinscher yelping. He found the dog with a shotgun wound in the shoulder.

Looking up, Pierce saw Troyer pointing the gun at him.

``You`re next,`` Troyer allegedly said.

Troyer did not shoot, and the dog did not die. But Troyer -- who earlier had been charged with the battery of a neighborhood youth -- was charged with cruelty to animals and aggravated assault.

He also underwent psychiatric evaluation. The results have not been made public.

Troyer was sentenced Friday to a one year in jail for the battery charge, with credit for time served.

He was to plead guilty later in the day to the cruelty charge and to a reduced charged of assault with a deadly weapon. He would have spent another 364 days in jail for those charges, with more than two years` probation to follow.

Assistant State Attorney Howard Berman said this arrangement had the approval of Troyer`s neighbors.

Mounts instead ordered the case to be reset for trial July 14, and urged attorneys for both sides to include Troyer`s moving as part of any plea bargain.